Francesca
by Pizza the Hut
Summary: Carol has been invited by her friend Julie to help her daughter, Francesca, who is on the verge of breaking out. She does this without the knowledge of the other Tomorrow People because she wants to try a technique she learned whilst living on the Galactic trig.
1. Chapter 1

Francesca

The concept of the Tomorrow People and the characters originally created for the Tomorrow People are the property of Roger Price. Other characters created for this work and my earlier works are my own.

Chapter One

Julie sat on a kitchen chair in her conservatory, with her Guild Songbird guitar on her lap. This was a small guitar that suited her petite frame. She played a few chords, then shook her head. Her muse wasn't with her today. She was distracted by the sound of rainfall on the roof of the conservatory. Very quickly, the rain got heavier, until she could hardly see as far as the bottom of the garden through the conservatory windows.

"Stewart's been on the phone" said Bob Halliday, Julie's husband. "He said he needs another two songs for the session."

Julie looked exasperated. "Another two? What does he think I do? Just magic them out of thin air?"

"Don't shoot the messenger!" said Bob. "Just look at this filthy weather! Francesca's going to get soaked!"

"Where's she gone?" asked Julie, putting her guitar down and looking through the window, just as a sheet of lightning flashed across the sky, followed a few seconds later by a rumble of thunder.

"Along the canal with Topper" said Bob. "When did you say your friend was coming?"

"Any time now" said Julie. "Just look at that sky. Three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and we've got to have the house lights on! I just hope Francesca gets back in time." Just then, the doorbell rang. Bob went to answer the door. He opened the door to greet a petite blonde woman, standing under the canopy in front of the front door, sheltering from the torrential rain.

"Hello, I'm Carol. You must be Bob" said Carol, offering her right hand.

"Pleased to meet you at last" said Bob, inviting Carol inside. "Come in and get yourself. . ." As Carol walked into the hallway, Bob noticed Carol was completely dry, not so much as a drop of rainwater on her. "I was going to say come in and get yourself dry, but I see there's no need."

"I'm just lucky I suppose" said Carol.

"Is that you, Cally?" called Julie from the conservatory.

"Yes" replied Carol.

"Come straight through here" called Julie. Carol followed Bob through the house to the conservatory.

"Oh, I didn't realise you were busy" said Carol, noticing Julie's guitar and notepad.

"Don't bother about that" said Julie. "I don't know what's wrong with me today. Everything I do ends up sounding like Wonderwall! Come on, let's go through to the lounge." Julie and Carol went through to the lounge before Bob went into the kitchen for tea and biscuits.

"Does Bob know?" asked Carol.

"No" said Julie.

"Don't you think he should?" asked Carol.

"You never told Richard and Janice" replied Julie.

"Janice was too young and Richard would've blabbed" replied Carol. "Anyway, they know now. And my parents knew. They always knew. I wouldn't have managed without their support."

"Okay, but we'll deal with Francesca first" said Julie as Bob came in with a tray with coffee and biscuits.

"Sorry, it's only instant" said Bob. "What's that about Francesca first?"

"Oh it's nothing, Bob. Just the way she's been obsessing" said Julie.

"Oh, the woman with the brooch" said Bob. "You know, that's all she's been talking about for weeks. This woman with the brooch. That's why she's out with the dog now – looking for her. She'll be putting an ad in the local paper next!"

"And of course, you know who I think the woman with the brooch is, don't you" said Julie to Carol.

"Chandra? But she'll be back home in the States by now" said Carol.

"Who else would it be?" said Julie. "She said the brooch looked just like the one TIM made for me – the duplicate of the one you gave to Chandra."

"So what, it's only a brooch" said Bob.

"It's a bit more than that" said Carol. "So what are we going to do?"

"You tell me" said Julie. "Obviously something's started, and we need to sort it out." Just then the front door opened, and a small Jack Russell terrier ran through the house to greet his owners.

"Only me!" called Francesca. She was a pretty, eighteen-year old with long dark hair. "It's chucking it down out there. I'm absolutely wringing!"

"Francesca, can you come through please?" called Julie.

"Why, what have I done now?" asked Francesca as she entered the lounge.

"Nothing" said Julie. "This is my friend Carol."

"Hello Carol" said Francesca, shaking Carol's hand. "Oh! I got a tingle!" Francesca could sense something when she touched Carol's hand.

"Very pleased to meet you, Francesca" said Carol.

"Look, if I don't get dried and changed right now, I'll get pneumonia!" said Francesca.

"Okay, but as soon as you're ready, come straight back down. Carol's here to see you" said Julie.

"Promise" said Francesca, turning to go. "Come on, Topper" she said to the dog. Francesca and the dog disappeared down the hallway.

"Oh Julie, she's beautiful!" said Carol. "You must allow me to treat her."

"She's spoilt enough" said Bob.

"A proper daddy's girl" said Julie.


	2. Chapter 2

Francesca

Chapter 2

Having dried herself off and changed into dry clothing, Francesca sat next to Carol on the couch, whilst Bob and Julie sat on easy chairs opposite each other.

"Has your mum explained to you why I'm here?" asked Carol.

"No" replied Francesca.

"Nor to me" said Bob.

"Well all will become clear" said Carol. "Francesca, have you ever felt different from your friends? Ever felt that there was something setting you apart?"

"I'm not sure. What do you mean?" asked Francesca.

Carol thought for a second before speaking. "It's like this, Francesca. Not everybody's the same. Some people are, well, different."

"I'm not gay, if that's what you mean!" said Francesca, shocked at the apparent implication. "Just because I've been talking about this woman I've seen!"

"No, nobody thinks you're gay" said Carol, "though that wouldn't make any difference. I'd still be here to see you, to help you. You noticed a tingle when we shook hands?"

"Yes, a slight tingle" said Francesca.

"That's because it's beginning" said Carol.

"Beginning what?" asked Francesca.

"You're beginning to change. You're becoming like me" said Carol. "The woman you saw. I think I know her."

"Would this be Chandra?" asked Bob.

"Almost certainly" said Carol. "The woman you saw, what did she look like?"

"Well, she was about twenty five, I'd say, with blonde hair, a bit darker than yours in a pony tail, tall for a woman, with glasses" said Francesca to Carol. "Oh, and she was American."

"You didn't say you spoke to her" said Julie.

"I didn't speak to her. I just passed her on the street" said Francesca.

"It's got to be Chandra" said Carol.

"So how do you know she was American if you didn't speak to her?" asked Bob.

"I don't know" said Francesca. "I just seemed to sense it from her. And she was wearing this brooch. Mum has one just the same."

"Francesca, the woman you saw was a friend of mine. The brooch I gave her was a gift from me to help her to find people like you and me" said Carol.

"What do you mean, like you and me?" asked Francesca.

"Yes, Carol, what do you mean?" demanded Bob.

"Easy, Bob" said Julie, sensing Bob's confusion.

"Francesca, Bob, what I'm about to tell you might sound incredible, but I assure you it's the truth" said Carol. "Francesca, you and I are part of a new species of humans. We have mental abilities far in advance of most people today." Francesca looked confused, and looked at her mother, who nodded knowingly.

"Do you mean gifted?" asked Bob. "Smarter? Cleverer?"

"Well, an increase in intelligence usually follows evolutionary advances, but what I mean is something more than that" said Carol.

"So what do you mean?" asked Francesca.

"I don't want to get too deeply into this until you've broken out, but you will be able to communicate with us telepathically to begin with" said Carol.

"You mean I can read minds?" asked Francesca.

"Only each other's minds" said Carol.

"So who else is there?" asked Francesca.

"Apart from me?" asked Carol. "Well, there's John, Elizabeth and Helen. They're about my age. Then there's Anthony and Rachel who are about your age, perhaps a bit older. Then there's Lyndon, my nephew. He's a bit younger than you. There's Janice, my sister and Ed. They're Saps, but we couldn't do without their help."

"Saps?" said Bob.

"_Homo sapiens_. Thinking man" said Carol.

"Don't forget Peter" said Julie.

"I don't think we can count Peter on this occasion" said Carol. "You know, Jools, I don't remember you meeting Peter."

"You must remember" said Julie. "On Rabowski's ship. With that biker."

"You mean Ginge?" asked Carol. "No Julie, you definitely weren't there. Anyway, because we are representative of the way people in the future will be, we call ourselves the Tomorrow People."

"And is Chandra one of the Tomorrow People?" asked Bob.

"No, she's just like you and Julie. Just like eighty percent of the population" said Carol.

"So twenty percent are like us?" asked Francesca.

"Yes, but not everyone has broken out yet" said Carol.

"Broken out?" asked Francesca.

"It's like a telepathic puberty. It can be very traumatic and dangerous, but I've learned a way to facilitate breakout without the trauma. I'd like to try it out on you" said Carol.

"Why me?" asked Francesca.

"We don't normally find new Tomorrow People at your stage. Usually they're well on their way to breaking out before they're discovered. I think that meeting Chandra has been the catalyst to your breaking out. I'm just lucky that your mum and I are friends, so we can do this painlessly" said Carol.

"If this Chandra isn't one of you, how could Francesca know that she was American, I mean if they never spoke?" asked Bob.

"The brooch I gave her has psionic properties. It projects an identifier from the wearer. Chandra must have been thinking about going back to Louisville when you passed her, and you picked up on that" Said Carol.

"Am I going to meet the other Tomorrow People?" asked Francesca?

"Eventually" said Carol. "Not yet though. They don't know about you yet."

"Why not?" asked Francesca. "Am I such a secret?"

"No, I just want to prove that I can facilitate a breakout without all the trauma. If I let the others in on it, it'd just all get too confusing" said Carol. "I'll reveal all eventually."

"You'll like the others" said Julie. "They're very nice."

"So you've met them?" asked Bob.

"Oh yes" said Julie.

"Are you a Tomorrow Person?" asked Francesca.

"No" replied Julie.

"Then how did you meet them?" asked Francesca.

"Carol's one of my oldest friends" said Julie. "She introduced us."

"Francesca, I want you to close your eyes for a few minutes" said Carol. Francesca closed her eyes. "Now concentrate. Concentrate really hard. Listen to my voice and concentrate. What do you see?"

"I can see a bridge" said Francesca "A long bridge and I'm at one end of it."

"Good" said Carol. "I put the bridge there."

"Oh come on. Anyone can say that" said Bob.

"Okay I'll prove it" said Carol. "The bridge is blue, right?"

"Yes, it's blue" said Francesca.

"Now it's red" said Carol.

"Yes" said Francesca.

*Now it's yellow* 'pathed Carol.

"Yes it's yellow" said Francesca.

"But I didn't say anything" said Carol.

"Yes you did!" said Francesca. "You said it was yellow! I heard you!"

"Carol didn't say a word" said Bob.

"I put the words in your head telepathically" said Carol. "Now keep your eyes closed and keep concentrating. I'm coming for you." Francesca kept her eyes closed and kept concentrating. Within a minute, Francesca gave a short, sharp cry of shock and opened her eyes.

"I saw you! You were standing next to me on the bridge!" said Francesca.

"I know!" said Carol. "I was there in your mind. This is the start. With my help, I can break you out painlessly and without any trauma."

"So how long will it take?" asked Julie.

"About a week" said Carol. "Daily visits with hour-long sessions. When I lived . . . " Carol just stopped herself from saying "on the Trig" in time. "When I lived abroad, I learned these techniques. I've never had the opportunity to try them out since I got back. So what do you say, Francesca?"

"Okay, let's do it!" said Francesca.

"Good" said Carol. "Same time tomorrow?"


	3. Chapter 3

Francesca 

Chapter 3

The introduction to exercises had tired Francesca out, and she had retired to bed before Carol had decided it was time to go.

"Now you're sure she'll be okay?" asked Julie.

"A hundred percent" said Carol reassuringly. "Honestly, I've witnessed dozens of assisted breakouts like this. Within a week, she'll be a fully functioning Tomorrow Person."

"So what can we expect?" asked Bob. "I mean what changes will we see?"

"None to worry about" said Carol. "She'll be the same old Francesca. I'm here to teach her a few new tricks." Carol looked at her watch. "Goodness me, just look at the time! I'd better fly!" She stood up to be shown to the front door.

"I don't like the look at that black cloud" said Bob. "Looks like we'll be in for some soup. Let me give you a lift."

"Honestly thanks Bob but there's no need" said Carol.

"Well let me order you a taxi" said Bob.

"I'll be okay with the bus, honesty" said Carol. "Same time tomorrow?"

"We're miles off the bus route" said Bob.

"Bob, just leave Carol will you?" said Julie, knowing full well that Carol wouldn't need any help getting home. "Come a bit earlier, and you can have some Sunday dinner with us."

"I'd like that very much" said Carol, before kissing Julie on the cheek. They made their good-byes, and Julie showed Carol out through the front door.

"So how about that" said Bob. "Our little girl a Tomorrow Person, whatever one of those is."

"Yes" said Julie. "It's nice to catch up with Carol again after all this time. I'm glad we made friends."

"So how did you come to fall out?" asked Bob.

"It's a long story" said Julie. "She . . . disappeared when we were in our teens, but wouldn't say what had happened to her."

"A bit like you did the other week" said Bob.

"A bit" said Julie.

"And are you ever going to let on?" asked Bob.

"Let's just get Francesca sorted out first" said Julie, just as a flash of sheet lightning lit up the sky followed by a roll of thunder that distracted them both for a few seconds. "I hope that's not the prelude to a downpour." Almost on cue, the rain began to fall lightly at first, and within seconds a downpour followed."

"She'll get soaked!" said Bob. "I'll run and take her a brolly." Bob took an umbrella from the coat stand in the hallway and went through the front door. Before venturing out, he opened the umbrella to shield himself from the rain. He jogged down the drive to the road and looked up and down the road for Carol. She couldn't have got far. "Carol! Carol!" he shouted, but Carol was nowhere in sight.


End file.
